1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to polling methods, devices and computer products, to computer-readable storage medium on which such polling computer products have been recorded, and to poll reply methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
Poll gathering and analysis systems in which the collection of questionnaires is done on computers, reducing the burden involved in the compilation of poll results, are known. In such systems both free replies and elective replies, for example, can be entered. Free replies are replies that a poll respondent can freely write in reply to questions presented on a display or the like; elective replies are options stored ahead of time in a database or the like and presented together with questions to a poll respondent, who selects any of the options as a reply. Entered free replies and elective replies are stored in a database. Elective replies, because they can be converted to figures, are easier to compile. With free replies, on the other hand, because they allow poll respondents to write as they please, free opinions of individual respondents can be obtained (Japanese Pub. Pat. App. No. H08-272772).
As explained above, because free replies are freely written, the reply content is not easily compiled and analyzed. Therefore, a system has been proposed in which free replies are classified into categories and new questions are then drawn up, with those categories presented as reply options. Using such a system allows categories of free replies to be selected as reply options, resulting in accurate compilation (Japanese Pub. Pat. App. No. H08-272773).
In terms of the system disclosed in the above-noted Japanese Pub. Pat. App. No. H08-272773, the fact that categories of previously made free replies are available as reply options enables accurate compilation results to be obtained. However, the reply options thus created are categories; if the classification of free replies is not done properly, the reply options may not actually reflect the opinions behind the free replies. This makes it difficult for a person who responds by selecting a created reply option to select this reply option as his or her subjective and freely conceived opinion.